Darwin’s Nightmare
The documentary film, Darwin’s Nightmare, pertained to the why worry concept. Why should we worry about events in the world that do not directly affect us? There are always poverty, hunger, and health problems that arise in far corners of the world, but they do not receive international recognition.
1.Title, director and release year?
Darwin’s Nightmare was a 2004 documentary made by Hubert Sauper.
2.What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film was focused on how certain parts of the world have enormous amounts of poverty, hunger, and health problems that do not receive international recognition due to the corporations that are involved. This particular film focused on the situation in Tanzania. Poverty, corporation manipulation, and environmental problems have arisen in Tanzania. What the main issue is that more affluent societies have no reason to care about situations that do not directly affect us. Why worry what is happening in the far corners of the world? It is this mentality that allows corporations to take advantage of groups of people to make a profit as they have a detrimental effect on the area. As this film promotes, we should be more aware of these situations so we can do something about it.
3.What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
There are several sustainability problems that are introduced in this film. The main issue would be corporations taking advantage of a poverty stricken area in order to gain a profit, a profit that does not help the area or the people. In fact, the area is severely affected by the business dealings that the companies are involved in. The companies fly in empty planes daily to the local airport and fill them up with the fish from the local fisherman. However, these people don’t even get to eat the fish that they sell to the companies. They get to eat the scrapes of the fish that can’t be sold. Another sustainability issue that has been introduced to Tanzania is the ecological disasters that have been made by the company’s presence. There is a major problem with the gas, as the rain distributes it around the area, contributing to several health issues of the people that live there. Another sustainability problem is the health conditions that the people have to live with. AIDs and HIV are a big issue amongst the residents, as it takes lives so often. Around 50 people died within 6 months from disease and hunger. The fact that these planes that come in daily don’t bring supplies to the residents is absurd.
4.What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
What I found the most compelling in this film was the living conditions that the people of Tanzania were exposed to due to the corporation’s presence. They lived in shantytowns and eat the scraps of fish that are left with them. They don’t have enough rice to go around, so the people fight for food. The images that the film portrayed were sickening to my stomach. The fact that the planes did not bring any supplies to help the people that were making a great profit for them is unreal.
5.What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
There really wasn’t any part of the film that did not compel me. It made me wonder if the film crew did anything to help better the situation of the people.
6.What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
I want to seek out what companies are involved and what regulations or restrictions have been made in order to make this situation better. I understand that there was a meeting among ecological leaders to decide what actions would be made in this situation. I want to see how this meeting has affected Tanzania and if it has helped their condition or made it worse.
7.What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
The main audience for the film would be for high school students all the way to fully grown adults. It affects the emotions and morals of these age groups to a significant level for actions to be taken. I believe that this documentary will change the viewer’s opinions on what actually happens in the world. They will be more likely to question and act upon it. I know that the viewer will be more aware of their environmental problems.
8.What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
Educating the public about the situation in Tanzania was the point of the documentary. Building awareness will help action take place. At the Ecological Congress in Kenya, the situation was discussed. I did not know if any solutions were made or any suggestions were conversed. However, there is international attention to the problem, and that will cause a desire to change the outcome.
9.What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
I’m not sure what they could add in order to enhance its environmental educational value. Possibly showing more images of the environmental destruction would be more effective. However, there are so many other issues in the situation that needed to be addressed. I believe the film did a great job captivating the entire issue.
Darwin's Nightmare
Darwin’s Nightmare
The documentary film, Darwin’s Nightmare, pertained to the why worry concept. Why should we worry about events in the world that do not directly affect us? There are always poverty, hunger, and health problems that arise in far corners of the world, but they do not receive international recognition.
1. Title, director and release year?
Darwin’s Nightmare was a 2004 documentary made by Hubert Sauper.
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
The film was focused on how certain parts of the world have enormous amounts of poverty, hunger, and health problems that do not receive international recognition due to the corporations that are involved. This particular film focused on the situation in Tanzania. Poverty, corporation manipulation, and environmental problems have arisen in Tanzania. What the main issue is that more affluent societies have no reason to care about situations that do not directly affect us. Why worry what is happening in the far corners of the world? It is this mentality that allows corporations to take advantage of groups of people to make a profit as they have a detrimental effect on the area. As this film promotes, we should be more aware of these situations so we can do something about it.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
There are several sustainability problems that are introduced in this film. The main issue would be corporations taking advantage of a poverty stricken area in order to gain a profit, a profit that does not help the area or the people. In fact, the area is severely affected by the business dealings that the companies are involved in. The companies fly in empty planes daily to the local airport and fill them up with the fish from the local fisherman. However, these people don’t even get to eat the fish that they sell to the companies. They get to eat the scrapes of the fish that can’t be sold. Another sustainability issue that has been introduced to Tanzania is the ecological disasters that have been made by the company’s presence. There is a major problem with the gas, as the rain distributes it around the area, contributing to several health issues of the people that live there. Another sustainability problem is the health conditions that the people have to live with. AIDs and HIV are a big issue amongst the residents, as it takes lives so often. Around 50 people died within 6 months from disease and hunger. The fact that these planes that come in daily don’t bring supplies to the residents is absurd.
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
What I found the most compelling in this film was the living conditions that the people of Tanzania were exposed to due to the corporation’s presence. They lived in shantytowns and eat the scraps of fish that are left with them. They don’t have enough rice to go around, so the people fight for food. The images that the film portrayed were sickening to my stomach. The fact that the planes did not bring any supplies to help the people that were making a great profit for them is unreal.
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
There really wasn’t any part of the film that did not compel me. It made me wonder if the film crew did anything to help better the situation of the people.
6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
I want to seek out what companies are involved and what regulations or restrictions have been made in order to make this situation better. I understand that there was a meeting among ecological leaders to decide what actions would be made in this situation. I want to see how this meeting has affected Tanzania and if it has helped their condition or made it worse.
7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
The main audience for the film would be for high school students all the way to fully grown adults. It affects the emotions and morals of these age groups to a significant level for actions to be taken. I believe that this documentary will change the viewer’s opinions on what actually happens in the world. They will be more likely to question and act upon it. I know that the viewer will be more aware of their environmental problems.
8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
Educating the public about the situation in Tanzania was the point of the documentary. Building awareness will help action take place. At the Ecological Congress in Kenya, the situation was discussed. I did not know if any solutions were made or any suggestions were conversed. However, there is international attention to the problem, and that will cause a desire to change the outcome.
9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
I’m not sure what they could add in order to enhance its environmental educational value. Possibly showing more images of the environmental destruction would be more effective. However, there are so many other issues in the situation that needed to be addressed. I believe the film did a great job captivating the entire issue.